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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-102

§2156a Regulations Establishing Levels of Physical Security to Protect Facilities and Material

Title 42 › CHAPTER 23 — DEVELOPMENT AND CONTROL OF ATOMIC ENERGY › SUBCHAPTER X — INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES › § 2156a

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Create rules that set how strong physical security must be to protect the facilities and materials named in paragraph (3) of section 2156. The Commission must do this within sixty days of March 10, 1978, and must work with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Energy, and the Secretary of Defense. The rules must be at least as strict as any international guidelines the United States follows and can be changed later if needed. The Commission must pick protections it judges will be adequate and must account for different levels of security risk.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §2156a

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Within sixty days of March 10, 1978, the Commission shall, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Energy, and the Secretary of Defense, promulgate (and may from time to time amend) regulations establishing the levels of physical security which in its judgement are no less strict than those established by any international guidelines to which the United States subscribes and which in its judgment will provide adequate protection for facilities and material referred to in paragraph (3) of section 2156 of this title taking into consideration variations in risks to security as appropriate.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Commission, referred to in text, is defined as meaning the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by section 4(a)(1) of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978, Pub. L. 95–242, which is classified to section 3203(a)(1) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978, and not as part of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

1998—Pub. L. 105–277 substituted “and the Secretary of Defense,” for “the Secretary of Defense, and the Director,”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–277 effective on earlier of Apr. 1, 1999, or date of abolition of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency pursuant to reorganization plan described in section 6601 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse, see section 1201 of Pub. L. 105–277, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 6511 of Title 22.

Effective Date

Section effective Mar. 10, 1978, except as otherwise provided and regardless of any requirements for the promulgation of implementing

Regulations

, see section 603(c) of Pub. L. 95–242, set out as a note under section 3201 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

Executive Documents

Performance of Functions Pending Development of ProceduresThe performance of functions under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978, Pub. L. 95–242, Mar. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 120, not to be delayed pending development of procedures even though as many as 120 days [after Mar. 10, 1978] are allowed for establishing those procedures, see section 5(b) of Ex. Ord. No. 12058, May 11, 1978, 43 F.R. 20947, set out under section 3201 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 2156a

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102